Where is Drachenfels castle located?

It stands in Königswinter, in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis in North Rhine-Westphalia, on a hilltop in the Siebengebirge overlooking the Rhine.

Why is Drachenfels castle a ruin?

It was heavily damaged after Swedish troops occupied it in 1632 and were driven out in 1633, leading the Elector of Cologne to have the outer defences torn down in 1634.

Who built Drachenfels castle?

Construction began in 1138 under Archbishop Arnold I of Cologne and was finished after 1149 by Gerhard von Are, provost of the St. Cassius chapter in Bonn, who had bought the unfinished site.

What is the connection between Drachenfels castle and Heinrich Heine?

In 1819 the poet joined a group of Bonn students who climbed to the summit to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig, an outing he later described in verse.

Drachenfels castle

Königswinter

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Where: Königswinter

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Open within 20 km

Burg Gudenau (Gudenau Castle)Open to visitors9 km

Burg Drachenfels stands in Königswinter (Rhein-Sieg-Kreis), in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Recorded dating: 12th century. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Drachenfels castle stands as a ruin atop a 321 metre hill in the Siebengebirge, overlooking the Rhine near Bonn. Building began in 1138 under Archbishop Arnold I of Cologne and was completed around a decade later, but the fortress was badly damaged after a 17th century siege and further worn down by trachyte quarrying that crept up the hillside over the following centuries. It also owes part of its fame to a group of Bonn students, including Heinrich Heine, who climbed up in 1819 to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig.

What to know

This is an open air ruin, with no furnished interior rooms to visit.
Reaching the site involves a climb to the top of the Siebengebirge hill, so sturdy footwear is recommended.
The site is listed as a Baudenkmal in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The summit was reinforced with steel anchors and concrete between 1971 and 1973 after rockfalls in 1967.

Where this château is

Königswinter · Rhein-Sieg-Kreis · Nordrhein-Westfalen

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Drachenfelsstraße 1, 53639 Königswinter

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Château phone number

+49 2223 296990

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4.7 / 5from 386 Google reviews

Heritage status: Baudenkmal in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Period of construction: 12th century

In pictures

Frequently asked

Where is Drachenfels castle located?: It stands in Königswinter, in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis in North Rhine-Westphalia, on a hilltop in the Siebengebirge overlooking the Rhine.
Why is Drachenfels castle a ruin?: It was heavily damaged after Swedish troops occupied it in 1632 and were driven out in 1633, leading the Elector of Cologne to have the outer defences torn down in 1634.
Who built Drachenfels castle?: Construction began in 1138 under Archbishop Arnold I of Cologne and was finished after 1149 by Gerhard von Are, provost of the St. Cassius chapter in Bonn, who had bought the unfinished site.
What is the connection between Drachenfels castle and Heinrich Heine?: In 1819 the poet joined a group of Bonn students who climbed to the summit to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig, an outing he later described in verse.